Orange yesterday announced a network operations outsourcing deal with Nokia Siemens Networks at the same time as a similar deal was being announced by its rival, Vodafone with Ericsson. Is something momentous happening? asks Ian Scales.
Orange is outsourcing its mobile network operations in the UK to Nokia Siemens Networks which will manage, plan, expand, optimise and provide maintenance services for the Orange UK 2G/3G mobile network for the next five years (see story yesterday - Vodafone outsources its UK network operations).
The outsource is to be split between Nokia Siemens and a third party contractor who will do first line maintenance and employ about half of the 470 staff Orange plans to outplace with the outsourcing arrangement. The other half will be joining Nokia Siemens Networks.
The parties say the deal will deliver improved quality of service and enhanced coverage for Orange UK’s 15.9 million mobile subscribers, while driving operational efficiency.
As these deals are forged the operators involved never seem quite sure whether to trumpet them or downplay them, presumably on the basis that customers may take them as a sign of strategic and operational weakness.
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